Tag Archive for: The USANA Foundation

Garden Towers Project: A Big & Important Initiative

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Garden Towers Project - Kevin Guest

Where Hope is Grown. It’s a powerfully optimistic statement that at once brings a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.

“In our world, nearly a billion people go to bed hungry each night,” says Brian Paul, president of The USANA Foundation. “Instead of going to school, countless children are in the daily fight for their lives just to get something to eat.”

And, Paul continues, impoverished or remote spots aren’t the only problem areas. Food insecurity is real within our own communities.

That’s why, thanks to your support, USANA and its partners have delivered more than 50 million nutritious meals and completed hundreds of life-sustaining projects at home and in nearly 40 countries around the globe.

The Healthiest Family on Earth — that’s USANA’s goal. Often, it starts with our own communities and extends outward.

Garden Towers: A Big Goal

The USANA Foundation, through its latest worldwide humanitarian effort, is offering hope to many by building low-cost, self-sustaining garden towers.

If you’re unfamiliar with garden towers, I encourage you to watch this explanatory video. It’s such an innovative, yet simple, way to help alleviate hunger. Already, the towers are helping so many in places such as Kenya and Mexico.

And with your help, we’ll achieve an ambitious goal: to raise enough money to fund 30,000 garden towers by August 2022.

It’s a big number, for sure. But to break it down, a donation of just $20 covers the entire cost of a tower—the fabric, the soil, the seeds, and the training on how to use the garden towers.

Where Hope is Grown.

Thank you, as always, for your support of The USANA Foundation. I hope I can count on you to help us to provide hope to those in need in our own communities and beyond.

Here’s where you can learn more and donate.

A version of this article originally went to e-newsletter subscribers on Sept. 21, 2021. I invite you to subscribe.

AEVC21: Resilience, Mental Strength, & More

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Jay Shetty on Resilience & Mental Strength

On ongoing theme for 2021: Resilience. It’s reflected in the way I live my life personally and professionally. I believe it’s a critical factor in helping each of us to continue moving forward.

Mental strength is key to being resilient. Bending in the face of a challenge—and then bouncing back—requires a strong, focused mindset.

Perhaps no one is better suited to discuss mental strength than is Jay Shetty, a keynote presenter at the recent USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention. Jay is a best-selling author, a purpose coach, and a former monk. He is “on a mission to make wisdom go viral.”

The foundation for building mental strength, Jay says, is “realizing the tools that got us here may not be the tools that will get us there.” In other words, just because a strategy or a tactical approach worked in the past, it doesn’t mean the same approach will work in the future.

Put simply, new challenges require new habits.

Fortunately, Jay provided us with a four-step roadmap to build our mental strength. It’s all about T.I.M.E., and I’d like to share it with you here.

Here are four habits Jay says we need to invite into our lives to build mental strength:

  1. Thankfulness: When you’re present in gratitude, you can’t be anywhere else
  2. Inspiration: Start each day with a dose of inspiring content—an uplifting song, a favorite quote, a well-read passage from a book. Whatever it is, ensure it boosts your spirit.
  3. Meditation: Make time for yourself, eliminate distractions, and ask yourself “what do I need to do for myself today to make today a great day?”
  4. Exercise: Add movement into your life

In the end, Jay asks: What are you going to let go of in order to make space in your life for these habits?

Resilience: A Theme

The USANA Foundation team meeting planting garden towers in Mexico.

The above message went out earlier this week to subscribers to my monthly e-newsletter. If you’re not on the list, I invite you to join. The keynote from Jay Shetty proved to be only one of many outstanding presentations at the 2021 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention.

Also during the event, I set an ambitious goal. I challenged the USANA Family to raise enough money to fund 30,000 garden towers around the world. And let’s do it by USANA’s 3oth-anniversary convention in 2022!

Garden towers are a low-cost, self-sustaining method of planting multiple food crops in a single source, suited for all areas of the world.

I’ve always been proud of the difference USANA makes when it comes to fighting food insecurity. These garden towers are the next step in eradicating world hunger.

A donation of $20 covers the entire cost of the fabric for the tower, the soil, the seeds, and the training on how to use them. $20 is all it takes to provide three to five years of sustainably sourced, nutritious food and a source of income for people who need it most.

To donate toward the garden tower project, and to learn more about USANA’s charitable efforts, please visit: usanafoundation.org.

Behind-the-Scenes

And finally, here are some behind-the-scenes moments from #AEVC21. Thank you to everyone who joined us for the virtual event!

Help The USANA Foundation Reach its Goal

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We are nearing an important deadline. The USANA Foundation, which strives to provide immediate and long-term food relief for those in need, is seeking to raise enough money by Sunday (Feb. 28) to provide 250,000 meals globally.

The initiative began at the start of 2021 and is an ambitious one. Yet, it’s a target we know we must hit.

Already, the campaign’s raised a significant portion of its goal amount. But we’re not there quite yet.

Every donation, no matter the size, helps to provide potentially life-saving food and nutrition to families around the world.

Thank you to everyone who’s contributed to this important cause. If you’ve yet to donate, or if you’re able to donate additional funds, I encourage you to do so.

Click to Donate

An Important Goal

As Chairman and CEO of USANA, I believe strongly in our vision of creating The Healthiest Family on Earth.

The USANA Family stretches globally — far beyond the markets we serve and those who benefit from our nutritional supplements. It includes the individuals and families whose lives have been helped thanks to your donations to The USANA Foundation.

Since 2012, The USANA Foundation has provided more than 57 million meals and over $23 million in aid. We couldn’t do it without your generosity and ongoing support.

“I am so grateful for everything the USANA Family does to make an impact in the lives of families around the world,” says Brian Paul, president of The USANA Foundation. “It’s so awesome to see the generosity. We have a big goal, one that will make a significant difference for families who have been struggling. I know we can reach this goal if we really come together.”

Please join me in supporting The USANA Foundation’s 250,000 Global Meals initiative by making a donation before Feb. 28, 2021. And please share this article with friends, family, and professional colleagues who would like to make a difference.

Note: A version of this article went to email subscribers on Feb. 24, 2021. Are you on the list?

Make the ‘Season of Giving’ a Year-Round Effort

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We’re in the midst of what many consider to be the Season of Giving. The holidays are a time for giving back to our communities and giving thanks for the many blessings in our lives.

Yes, we’re embarking on a special time. And though I encourage each of us to focus on giving during this holiday season, I believe it’s important that we think about how we can give back, no matter the time of year.

It’s the overall Spirit of Giving, a notion that’s not tied to a calendar, that helps to make a difference in the lives of so many.

Volunteering Weekly

USANA Kids Eat volunteers. Photo credit: The USANA Foundation

This time last year, we were putting the finishing touches on opening the new USANA Kids Eat food-packing facility in Salt Lake City. In just a few months, we’ve watched the program become an integral part of our community.

USANA Kids Eat, an initiative of The USANA Foundation, couldn’t do what it does without a dedicated staff and teams of volunteers. Several individuals volunteer weekly throughout the year. They fill backpacks with food and deliver them to schools to ensure students aren’t going hungry on weekends.

In October, The USANA Foundation blog highlighted a half-dozen of the volunteers who are committed to giving back year-round. I’ve known many of the USANA Kids Eat volunteers personally for years as members of the USANA Family. I’d like to offer my heartfelt thanks for the countless hours of service.

Miles for Meals

As I mentioned in my October e-newsletter, a group of four USANA employees had organized Miles for Meals. The 12-hour bike ride on Oct. 29 aimed to provide 12,600 meals for hungry kids. Thank you to everyone who contributed, and here’s an update on the adventure. Spoiler: The campaign raised more than 20,000 meals!

Giving Back

As we celebrate the Season of Giving, I’d like to encourage you to look within your community and identify opportunities to give. It’s so important to have in our hearts a Spirit of Giving. I believe it enriches our lives as well as the lives of others.

Thank you for doing all you do to help make the world a better place. We all have the power to help others, to give back, and to do good in this world all year long.

May your holiday season be filled with happiness.

P.S. Here’s a recent news clip featuring USANA Kids Eat.

A version of this article went to email subscribers on Nov. 24, 2020. I invite you to subscribe here.

Thank You for Your Generosity & Support of The USANA Foundation

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The 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention set out to provide 100,000 meals to hungry children and families. Thanks to you, we easily surpassed that goal. Thanks to your generosity, The USANA Foundation provided 920,000 meals globally. I can't thank you enough for all you do to support The USANA Foundation. Please take a moment to read more about this amazing accomplishment.

The 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention set out to provide 100,000 meals to hungry children and families. Thanks to you, we easily surpassed that goal. Thanks to your generosity, The USANA Foundation provided 920,000 meals globally. I can’t thank you enough for all you do to support The USANA Foundation. Please take a moment to read more about this amazing accomplishment.

I’ve spoken about self-care recently, and I made it the focus of my keynote presentation at the 2020 USANA Americas & Europe Virtual Convention. I believe it’s so important. If you missed the presentation, I invite you to read this blog post, or this one, where I link to an article I wrote that discusses many aspects of self-care.

In addition to taking care of ourselves, which is critical, especially in times such as these, it’s also important to serve others. Service is one of several key elements in building harmony in teams.

Giving Back: The USANA Foundation

When we decided our Americas & Europe Convention would be virtual this year, we wanted to create a unique way for attendees to give back to The USANA Foundation. In the past, at our annual event each August, we’ve volunteered our time to build food packs or we’ve registered for the Champions for Change 5K. Each of these activities supports The Foundation.

This year, with the USANA Family watching the event from home, we couldn’t organize these in-person activities. Instead, we offered a VIP Access ticket in which all proceeds benefited The Foundation. And we promoted a “virtual” 5K to create a sense of togetherness and community.

We set a goal to provide 100,000 meals for hungry children and families. But thanks to your generosity and tireless efforts, The USANA Foundation was able to provide an astonishing 920,000 meals!

920,000 meals. That’s a bittersweet number. On one hand, it’s heartwarming to know that families across the globe are benefiting from the good work done by The Foundation. On the other hand, it’s heartbreaking to realize that there are so many children and families facing food uncertainty—who likely don’t know when the next meal is coming.

Please visit The Foundation’s blog to read more about how you are making a difference and where additional help is needed.

Thank You

From all of us at USANA and The USANA Foundation, thank you for your service to others. The Americas & Europe Virtual Convention just ended, but our effort to create The Healthiest Family on Earth continues.

“The USANA family came through again! I’m not really surprised. Each and every time we call on them for help, they are there to answer. This has been a tough year for many and for some it’s been quite devastating. I’m grateful for our Associates who make such a difference in times of need.”

— Brian Paul, The USANA Foundation President

P.S. Learn how you can become a USANA Foundation Ambassador.

Subscribers to my monthly email list received a version of this message on Aug. 20, 2020, as well as additional content you might find valuable. If you’d like to subscribe, please do so here.

A Giving Community: USANA Answers the Call

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Giving back. It’s something I talk about a lot, especially as it relates to one of USANA’s core values—community.

This notion of giving back to our community, however close or far away, guides me. I also believe it’s so important to express gratitude and to offer thanks to the individuals who help those in need.

It seems we’re more aware of the helpers in today’s world. Unfortunately, that also means more people are experiencing pain and suffering. As we persevere during this challenging time, I hope you and your loved ones are safe and healthy.

Over the last several weeks, I’ve heard so many heartwarming stories about communities coming together to provide physical, emotional, and financial assistance. Perhaps you saw this list in the news recently. It highlights how the USANA Family all over the world has answered the call to provide much-needed relief.

Giving Around the World

From the United States to the Philippines to Australia to Korea and many countries in between, we’ve witnessed inspiring acts of selflessness.

Here are a few examples:

United States

The USANA Foundation and its Kids Eat program remain open to continue the mission to feed children in Utah who would typically go hungry. Each week, USANA Kids Eat provides 850 bags to participating schools. In addition, The USANA Foundation is working with its trusted partners at Convoy of Hope to provide 50,000 meals to families across the country.

Philippines

In the Philippines, the local USANA office plans to donate personal protective equipment (PPEs) and Mini CellSentials to healthcare facilities and workers across the country. It’s also supporting essential workers with financial donations.

Australia

USANA Australia is doing its part to donate money to national food banks and charities. It’s also donating $25,000 AUD to Foodbank Australia, the country’s largest food relief organization. The donation will provide 50,000 meals for those in need.

New Zealand

New Zealand’s KidsCan organization will receive a donation of $15,000 NZD from the New Zealand market and The USANA Foundation. The donation helps to support KidsCan’s goal of donating 3,000 emergency food packs to the most vulnerable children and their families.

China

Earlier this year, BabyCare-USANA’s Chinese subsidiary—together with its local sales Associates—donated $394,489.29 USD (2,795,430 CNY) to the China Foundation of Poverty Alleviation (CFPA) and China National Health Commission. The money went toward emergency materials such as ambulances, respirators, disinfectant, and medical masks.

Korea

In March, USANA’s Korea office announced a generous donation from The USANA Foundation of $116,000 (130,000,000 KRW) worth of USANA HealthPaks™ to the Daegu Division of Social Disaster. The HealthPaks were given to medical staff and those in quarantine to help provide them with extra nutrition.

While the list of those helping others is extensive, I’m confident it barely scratches the surface of how much you and those around you have and will continue to give of your time and money. For that, I express my sincere gratitude.

The USANA Foundation

The USANA FoundationAs you can see, many of our efforts over the past few months have been made possible by The USANA Foundation and its collaboration with trusted partners around the world. As you know, 100% of all donations directly benefit those in need. Your donations have made a real difference.

“The USANA Foundation was more than prepared to take action and help all our markets in putting together donation plans to help their communities during this time,” says Brian Paul, USANA Foundation president. “From big donations to small, every little bit helps, and I am so proud to see the work everyone associated with USANA is doing.”

So am I. Thank you for your continued support.

P.S. Speaking of giving, last month USANA produced and employees distributed thousands of bottles of hand sanitizer (video) to front-line workers and first responders. Read more.

A version of this article went to email subscribers on May 26, 2020. I invite you to subscribe here.

Fine-Tuning the USANA Foundation

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The following post features information about the USANA Foundation I included in last month’s e-newsletter.

One of the most important tasks musicians perform is tuning their instruments. In All the Right Reasons, I talk about “harmony” vs. “dissonance” as it relates to music and life. In fact, the book’s subtitle says it all: “12 timeless principles for living a life in harmony.”

When something is out of tune, it just doesn’t sound right. When that happens, it might take only a few minor adjustments to once again create beautiful music.

The USANA FoundationFor the USANA True Health Foundation, that’s exactly what it took — a little fine-tuning to ensure its mission rings true for years to come.

Brian Paul, the president of what is now the USANA Foundation, explains in the video above (or here) a few steps the organization has taken recently to fine-tune its mission.

“We are rebranding,” he says. “There’s a new look and feel but it’s much more than that. It’s us fine-tuning our mission. It’s us giving you more of a tangible way to donate to the Foundation and helping you understand how you are making a difference.”

A question I get asked frequently as I travel is: “Why the name change?” Brian explains the reasoning behind that as well.

“A lot of times when people talk about the Foundation, they say ‘True Health Foundation.’ USANA quite often gets lost. We really want people to understand what the heart of this Foundation is. And that is our USANA Associates, Customers, and Employees around the world.”

I encourage you to visit the USANA Foundation’s website to read more about all the good work this organization is doing. And give them a follow on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube to keep up-to-date on everything related to the USANA Foundation.

Benefiting the USANA Foundation

All the Right Reasons: 12 Timeless Principles for Living a Life in Harmony is available on Amazon. All proceeds benefit the USANA Foundation and its mission to feed hungry children. Each book purchase helps to provide 40 meals. Help us as we strive toward our goal of 2 million meals.